This is a humble record of flora/fauna encountered. It's hoped these words and media will: a) be a catalyst for folks to engage wildlife on whatever level b) inspire a Leopoldian land ethic c) get kids outside and d) provoke fun.

Dragonfly

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

I went outside after dinner, conditions were good (warm and sunny) for finding...butterflies. The hillside below our house is a grassland with interspersed conifers. The highlight is a large area of Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamrhiza sagittata) flowering now. Sure enough, spied two butterflies that were pretty skittish: Boisduval Blue (Plebejus icarioides) and Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice), photos below.

If you repeatedly use this strategy...well your behavior becomes a recurring phenomenon (a remarkable person!), though not dictated by climate :-) The bolded words are a positive meme, but they are really a call to action...get outside and wildlife watch even if for only 15-30 minutes a day. It's guarantee you will discover a world of beauty and wonder.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Noted a blog posting from Northwest Butterflies alerting folks as to Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) migrating into Washington. Sure enough found a couple by accident at Blue Mountain (Missoula, MT) nectaring on Heartleaf Arnica (Arnica cordifolia). Also using this 50 yard linear patch of flowers were Green Comma (Polygonia faunus) and Western Pine Elfin (Callophrys eryphon). Earlier, a Sulphur blew by me without stopping along with another species of Elfin. And yes the wildflower show is kicking in...really enjoying the stands of color from Shooting Stars and Glacier Lilies :-)

Monday, May 5, 2014

Visited Georgia for a couple of days for wildlife watching. Trip objectives: find, identify, photograph what nature I can (focus on dragonfly species) given total unfamiliarity with the land...basically live large and passionate (going for it...like you?).

Took over 600 photos/video using two Canon cameras/7" Nexus tablet visiting one National Wildlife Refuge, four State Parks/two Wildlife Management Areas. Weather was a major feature - a slow-moving storm front with tornado's and twenty-one inches of rain in places. Avoided harm by channeling my intuitive Weather Channel persona :-)

Encountered 46 species of birds that I had not listed in years; comedic nasal cawing of the Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) and the Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina) singing "monte monte video" from the dense forest understory stand out. Landscape features, well they were green, really green and verdant. Closing my eyes I can still see the Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) draping the Cypress swamp trees at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Getting back to things that fly, believe I found five "lifer" butterfly species (2 Satyr, 1 Sootywing, 1 Skipper and 1 Swallowtail). However, observing different Skimmers (Libellulidae dragonfly family), made my trip...big and showy species (for the most part:-) that most folks mentally associate as "dragonflies". They are spectacular!

Call to Action - Your neighborhood wetland might even have these species present for your own discovery, try it. Below is a sampling of species discovered:

About Me

Have had a colorful working career; an ecletic mix of blue collar and professional positions: steel mill, automotive technician, aerosol valve manufacturer, lollipop machine assembler, busboy, janitor, paperboy, a variety of biological volunteer positions, and now federal employee. Live in the present while embracing the change of the exciting future.

Am blessed to have grown up in a terrific family and have met so many interesting and good people. Am happily married to a wonderful and supportive person. Practice an Oprah mantra regularly: grateful. Fortunate to have discovered my passions and live them.

I encourage you to look inside, ask some questions, discover who you are...then plot a course of action to make that you a reality.